What is couples' health insurance?

Private health insurance can offer speed and convenience, depending on cover, eligibility and availability of treatment. Many couples choose to be seen privately because they can get appointments quickly and at times that suit their schedule, while still having access to NHS care when needed.

This guide covers how couples’ health insurance works in the UK, who can take out a policy and how much it costs.

Who can get couples' health insurance?

Couples’ health insurance may be available to two adults living together at the same address. Including couples who are:

• Married
• Civil partners
• Cohabiting
• Long-term unmarried partners
• Same-sex partners

Eligibility requirements vary by insurer. Both individuals must usually be over 18, live in the UK, and meet the insurer’s underwriting criteria. Proof of address or relationship status may be required.

How does couples' health insurance work?

A couples’ policy consists of one contract covering two individuals. Each person is assessed separately for underwriting and pricing, based on factors such as age, medical history and lifestyle.

While both individuals are covered under the same policy, premiums, exclusions and claims are assessed individually. Optional cover elements may be added, subject to policy rules.

Here's our step-by-step guide to setting up a couples’ Vitality plan.

Step 1: Choose your cover

Our Personal Health Insurance start with Core Cover, which includes a range of insured benefits, subject to policy terms, conditions, exclusions, benefit limits and clinical eligibility:

• Virtual GP consultations
• In-patient and day-patient treatment (hospital fees, consultant fees and scans)
• Advanced Cancer Cover
• Mental health support
• Physiotherapy sessions
• Out-patient surgical procedures
• Plus, other benefits like NHS hospital cash benefit, childbirth cash benefit, home nursing, and private ambulance.

Step 2: Customise your plan

You can choose to add any of the following Cover Options to your health insurance policy. Optional cover is available at an additional cost, depending on the option chosen and underwriting outcomes.

• Out-patient cover – gives you access to out-patient consultations, diagnostics plus physiotherapy outside of our network.
• Mental health cover – includes full cover for Talking Therapies, additional cover for in-patient and day-patient treatment and extended out-patient treatment.
• Therapies cover – includes chiropractic, osteopathy, acupuncture, podiatry, and two consultations with a dietician following a GP referral.
• Optical, dental and hearing cover – contributes towards routine and emergency care.
• Worldwide travel cover – pays for emergency medical expenses, travel disruptions, vaccinations, and more.

Step 3: Decide your hospital options

Hospital access depends on the hospital list selected. Available hospitals and consultants vary by option and are subject to change. Access is also dependent on clinical referral and policy eligibility.

• London care – access to all private hospitals in the UK, and NHS hospitals with private facilities.
• Countrywide hospital list - access to all the private hospitals in the UK’s largest hospital groups.
• Consultant Select - a digital tool that recommends the right high-performing consultant for your needs.

Step 4: Choose your excess

An excess is an amount you contribute towards eligible treatment costs before the insurer pays the remaining eligible amount. Excess options and how they apply (per member, per plan year or per member, per claim) are set out in the policy terms. As a representative example, you may be able to choose an excess amount of £0, £100, £250, £500 or £1,000.

Step 5: Choose your underwriting type

Underwriting is the process insurers use to assess your medical history and past claims before offering a health insurance quote. It determines how pre-existing medical conditions are assessed. The underwriting option selected affects what conditions are covered and when cover begins. Full details are set out in the policy documentation.

You can choose:

• Full Medical Underwriting (FMU)
• Moratorium Underwriting (Mori)
• Continued Personal Medical Exclusions (CPME)

Read more: The different types of medical underwriting explained

Step 6: Submit your application

Both individuals included on the policy completes their own health and lifestyle questions. If your application is accepted, you’ll receive your policy documents confirming your cover.

Step 7: Making a claim

• Use the Vitality UK app for virtual consultations.
• Use Care Hub to manage appointments, track claims, and book consultants.
• Self-refer for physiotherapy or mental health support.
• Choose your consultant and hospital from your plan list.
• Claims can be managed online for eligible treatments.

Step 8: Paying your excess

• We’ll tell you if an excess, shortfall or non-covered cost applies.
• Where eligible, Vitality pays bills directly to providers.
• Track payments and reimbursements via Care Hub.

What happens when someone on the plan makes a claim?

When one partner makes a claim, we assess the claim on an individual basis. However, claims made under a joint policy may affect the overall policy premium or no-claims discount at renewal, depending on the policy terms.

If you’ve opted to pay an excess, the partner making the claim will need to do this before treatment starts. The excess applies to both partners. So, if you have an excess of £250 on your policy per claim and you both make a claim, you’ll be paying £500 in total.

What does couples' health insurance usually include?

Health insurance plans tend to offer core cover, which applies to everyone taking out the plan, and a range of optional covers that you can add if you want to. The benefits below are examples of what may be covered under a couples’ health insurance policy. All cover is subject to policy terms, conditions, exclusions, benefit limits, waiting periods and clinical eligibility.

Core cover from Vitality includes:

In-patient and day-patient treatment

• Full cover for hospital and consultant fees.
• Full cover for diagnostic tests and scans (MRI, CT,PET).
• NHS Hospital Cash Benefit - £250 per night up to a total of £2,000 for in-patient treatment. £125 per day up to a total of £500 for day-patient treatment.

Out-patient treatment

• Full cover for surgical procedures where you don't need to stay in hospital.

Advanced cancer cover

• Full cover for chemotherapy, radiotherapy, biological and targeted therapies.
• Cancer screenings and risk assessments for common cancers.
• Personalised support throughout treatment.

Primary care

• Private GP consultations – access to video consultations and 24 hour telephone access through Vitality medical helpline.
• At least two face-to-face GP consultations per year at a discounted rate. Only available in selected UK locations.
• Up to £100 per plan year towards private prescriptions and minor diagnostic tests.

Mental health care

• Up to 8 sessions per plan year of cognitive behavioural support or counselling.
• Access to mindfulness tools like Headspace, Wysa and Togetherall.

Physiotherapy

• Up to 6 sessions per plan year of physiotherapy.
• 24/7 virtual physiotherapy support.

Other benefits

• Home nursing following an admission to hospital.
• Private ambulance costs.
• Specific weight loss, corrective and oral surgeries.
• Accommodation charges for the parent of an insured child patient.
• Specific pregnancy complications.
• Childbirth cash benefit.
• Rehabilitation treatment.

Our optional cover includes:

Out-patient cover

• Consultations, consultants’ fees, out of network physiotherapy (max £35 per session) and diagnostic tests such as blood tests and x-rays will be covered up to your chosen cover limit.
• In-network physiotherapy and consultant referred MRI/CT/PET scans will be covered in full regardless of the chosen out-patient cover limit.
• Physiotherapy and consultant referred MRI/CT/PET scans are covered in full regardless of your chosen limit.

Mental Health cover

• In-patient and day-patient mental health treatment. Out-patient mental health treatment is covered up to £1,500, and in-network talking therapies are covered in full.

Therapies cover

• Full cover for chiropractic treatment, osteopathy, acupuncture, homeopathy, podiatry/chiropody and up to two consultations with a dietician.

Optical, dental and audiological cover

• Routine dental check-ups covered, plus major treatments and accident cover
• Sight tests, check-ups and new prescription glasses are covered
• Hearing tests, check-ups and hearing aids also covered.

Worldwide travel cover

• Medical cover if taken ill overseas, including accommodation costs and travel expenses for one person to remain behind with the sick or injured insured person.
• Repatriation expenses
• Transfer of the deceased or their ashes back to the UK.

What should couples think about before buying joint health cover?

Does the plan suit you both?

Before choosing a joint policy, consider whether the level of cover optional benefits, excess and underwriting approach meet both individuals’ needs. It is also important to understand how claims, renewals and future changes may affect the policy.

Is it cost effective?

Understand exactly what level of cover you get for your money. Also, if you choose to have an excess, check whether you’ll pay that excess per person per claim.

Do you have different ages and medical backgrounds?

Age and medical history are important factors in calculating the price of your cover. So, if one of you is much older than the other or has a complicated medical history, you may want to consider taking out separate policies. That way you can be sure you’ll both be covered in the way you need.

Is the plan flexible enough?

Check whether your preferred policy allows for changes in the future. Such as adding children to your plan, moving to a different town or country or changing your job role. It could also be useful to understand how the plan works if you separate or get divorced.

What are the benefits of couples' health insurance?

• Both you and your partner have access to the same treatment options. It can be reassuring to know you both have the same level of cover.
• You can add optional extra cover to your joint policy, subject to underwriting and exclusions.
• Having one policy means you’ll only have one bill to pay and one renewal date to deal with. This can be simpler than two individual policies.
• Some providers offer a discount for joint health insurance. It could be more cost-effective, especially in the first year, for you to buy your health insurance as a couple.
• You can typically add children to your private health insurance. So, if your family expands, you can make sure all members are covered, subject to policy terms.
• Vitality health insurance gives you access to the Vitality Programme which helps you live a healthier life and rewards you for doing so.

Should you get couples’ health insurance or two single policies?

Whether a joint or separate policy is more suitable depends on individual circumstances, including age, medical history, budget and preferred level of cover. Comparing quotes and policy features can help inform a decision.

How much does couples’ health insurance cost?

With couples’ health insurance your premiums are calculated separately but added together. Quotes are personalised and will vary between providers. The cost is based on:

• Your ages: The younger you are, the cheaper your premiums are likely to be. The price of cover can be higher for the older partner because they may claim more often.
• Where you live: Prices in the southeast of England, especially London, are typically higher. This is because treatment costs more there.
• Type of cover: Adding extra health insurance options such as dental and hearing cover will cost more.
• The excess you choose: An excess on your plan should reduce the cost of your premiums. The greater the excess, the lower the cost.

Read our guide about the cost of private health insurance for more information.

How do you apply for couples’ health insurance?

You can apply directly online with most insurers. Alternatively, you can speak to an adviser.

When you apply as a couple, you add your partner to the policy. You’ll need to decide the cover you want and whether you want an excess on the policy.

You’ll then individually answer a series of questions about your health and lifestyle. Let the insurance company know if you have any pre-existing medical conditions.

This information is not personal advice. Cover is subject to policy terms, conditions, exclusions, benefit limits and clinical eligibility.

Get a quote for cover with Vitality.

Key takeaways

• Couples’ health insurance is a private medical insurance plan that covers two adults, typically partners or spouses, under a single policy. It’s also known as joint health insurance.
• Both partners need to be over 18, live in the UK, and share the same address. But you don't need to be married or in a civil partnership.
• There’s only one policy, but each partner is treated as an individual within that policy. During your application, both you and your partner need to provide details about your age, health and lifestyle. Your premium is based on this information.
• As you’re both covered by the same policy, you’ll each have access to the same treatment options.